Lessons from Lance Armstrong about trust in the workplaceLance Armstrong admits in an interview with Oprah Winfrey to using performance-enhancing drugs, and his belated confession holds lessons for leaders, writes Bob Selden. Top of the list: Come to terms with the limits of your ability to spot when people are being dishonest. Selden also advises starting with e-mails for important communications, then bolstering them with face-to-face interaction. Management-Issues (U.K.)
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How Much Do You Really Need to Make? The Answer May Shock YouRather than focus on what you can afford to pull out of the business to cover your living expenses, you need to focus on how much you need to earn at your business in order to afford the lifestyle you want to have. This is where the Personal Earnings Goal, or PEG, comes into play. Learn how to calculate your PEG and find out how much you really need to make.

Budgeting and Finance

Okla. city manager looks to overhaul budgeting processBroken Arrow, Okla., City Manager Thom Moton says he aims to make the budget process similar to personal budgeting by planning based on how much each department can expect to have, instead of what it wants. Departments have been working the opposite way, determining what they want, then cutting items based on how much money they have. Moton says he hopes to have the process in place by 2014. Tulsa World (Okla.)
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Time and Attendance: The Core of Managing and Measuring Your Workforce
Based on data from Brandon Hall Group's 2014 Workforce Management Study, this paper explores the evolution of time and attendance, the impact of automation and integration, and the key role time and attendance solutions play in managing and measuring today's workforce. Read the Paper and Learn More

How to Achieve IT Agility: A Survival Guide for IT Decision MakersWhen business teams add new apps and services to already-strained networks, IT departments are accountable for making everything work. Is your team ready for this challenge? Read this eGuide to learn how IT teams are automating their networks, why they're utilizing Ethernet fabrics and SDN, and what success looks like as they regain network control and business relevance.

Maine city council restricts sex offenders' residencyThe Augusta, Maine, City Council unanimously passed an ordinance prohibiting registered sex offenders who committed sexual crimes against those younger than 14 from living within 750 feet of schools and municipal properties that are primarily used by children, such as parks. The ordinance will go into effect within 30 days and will carry a fine of as much as $500 per day for violation. The ordinance is not retroactive, so any sex offender already living in a restricted area will not have to move. Kennebec Journal (Maine)
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Ill. mayor proposes tougher gun lawChicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has sent a proposal to the City Council that would extend from three months to six a jail sentence for residents who don't report stolen, lost or sold guns. Emanuel's effort is in support of President Barack Obama's stance on gun control and a response to rising gun violence in Chicago, whose homicide rate increased 16% last year compared with 2011. Chicago Tribune (tiered subscription model)/Clout Street blog
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Public Works and Infrastructure

Chinese city limits driving amid heavy smogHeavy smog in Jinan, China, has prompted city officials to restrict driving to alternate days, based on whether the last digit on a license plate is even or odd. The rule has caused large crowds at bus stations and spurred concern among pedestrians about reduced visibility of them. China Daily (Beijing)
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7-year N.C. city manager will retire in MarchHavelock, N.C., City Manager Jim Freeman plans to retire at the end of March, after seven years on the job. "I spent almost 33 years in municipal government since the 1970s," he said. "After that amount of time, it's time for somebody else to take the reins. I will always love Havelock and will always help Havelock out in any way I can." Freeman says he plans to spend more time with family. Havelock News (N.C.)
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ICMA News

ICMA Annual Awards Program is under way; deadline for nominations is March 8Each year, ICMA recognizes outstanding contribution to the profession of local-government management through the Annual Awards Program. Recipients will be recognized in two umbrella categories -- for individual achievement through the Professional Awards and for jurisdictional achievement through the Program Excellence Awards -- during ICMA's 99th Annual Conference, scheduled Sept. 22 to 25 in Boston, and will be highlighted in a fall issue of ICMA's PM (Public Management) magazine. Visit the awards page of ICMA's website at ICMA.org/awards for complete information on the Annual Awards Program and the nomination process. Then celebrate the value of professional local-government management by nominating your colleague, your community or yourself for a 2013 ICMA annual award. Nominations are accepted through March 8.

Don't miss Web conference Jan. 31 on public-safety conceptThe public-safety concept, through which individuals are trained as police officers and firefighters, has been successfully implemented in the U.S. for more than 100 years. However, the concept remains one of the most politically controversial ideas a local-government manager can champion. At 1 p.m. Eastern on Jan. 31, ICMA will host a fascinating Web conference titled "Police-Fire Mergers: Understanding the Public Safety Concept," featuring Leonard Matarese, director of research and project development at the ICMA Center for Public Safety Management, and Jane Bais-DiSessa, city manager of Berkley, Mich. During this event, the speakers will discuss the theory behind the public-safety concept and provide insight into how one community has successfully implemented it. Visit the ICMA website for more information and to register.